IUB Clinches Inter-University Table Tennis Fest Title, Defeating DU and Daffodil

Independent University, Bangladesh claimed the elite-level men’s team title at the Inter-University Table Tennis Fest 2026, defeating the University of Dhaka in the final at Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium in Dhaka. The two-day tournament ran February 16–17, 2026, and IUB collected a trophy and prize money of Tk 15,000 at the prize-giving ceremony held February 17.

IUB’s winning men’s lineup featured Ramhimlian Bawm, Rifat Mahmud Sabbir, Md Talha, Talukdar MD Abdullah and Mohammad Zubair Khan Pritom, with the squad overseen by senior coach Md Hafizur Rahman and assistant coach Md Kamruzzaman. The university’s Division of Student Activities coordinated team participation. Media reports differ on Rifat Mahmud Sabbir’s academic department; one source lists Media and Communication while another lists Human Resources Management.

The route to the title saw IUB beat American International University-Bangladesh in the quarter-final, Daffodil International University in the semi-final and Dhaka University in the final. Tournament coverage and captions show the IUB players posing after emerging champions, with event organisation credited to the Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation and sponsorship from Turaag Active.

Organisers reported the competition featured 174 male players and 36 female players representing 36 universities, including several nationally ranked players, underscoring the field’s depth at the Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium. The Daily Star and New Age both described the prize presentation and confirmed the event scale and sponsor details during the February 17 ceremony.

On the women’s side, Mst Empa Khatun of IUB, a Social Sciences and Humanities student and resident of Saima Hall, finished fourth in the elite women’s singles after matches against players from Jagannath University and Dhaka University. Sharmin Islam Shroddha reached the quarter-finals in the women’s singles and is listed in team coverage as a Computer Science and Engineering student. Sadia Tabassum Shawon, listed as studying Microbiology, is the other named member of IUB’s women’s team.

Several sources also reported a related but separate result from the Bangabandhu Inter-University Sports Championship at the Ashulia campus of Daffodil International University: IUB’s mixed doubles pair of Sharmin Islam Shroddha and Md Rifat Mahmud Sabbir won gold there, beating Jagannath University in straight sets after a semi-final win over North South University. Commenting on that championship, IUB Vice Chancellor Tanweer Hasan said, “Yet another wonderful moment for IUB. In every event that IUB placed at the top in this championship, our male and female students have done equally well. The success in mixed doubles table tennis signifies that when men and women work in tandem, only good things can happen.”

Photographs circulated with the Financial Express caption show the Independent University, Bangladesh players posing as champions at the Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium. Coaches Md Hafizur Rahman and Md Kamruzzaman were credited across reports for preparing the teams that delivered IUB’s elite-level men’s crown.